Ruined a whole batch of chili by forgetting a key step

I was making a big pot of chili for a potluck at work last Tuesday, and I realized halfway through I forgot to soak the dried beans overnight. Ended up having to dump the whole thing and start over with canned beans, which cost me an extra $4 but saved my dish. Has anyone else had a cooking disaster from skipping prep steps?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannahcraig9h ago

My last batch of chili I used kidney beans that weren't quite soft enough... still ate it anyway but spent the next day regretting every spoonful. Honestly I think soaking beans overnight is one of those steps people skip way too often without thinking about the texture difference. Canned beans cost a bit more but they save you from that rubbery bean situation which is way worse than spending an extra 4 bucks. Your coworkers probably wouldn't have noticed the swap either since canned beans work just fine in chili as long as you rinse them first.

violag805h ago

You said "canned beans cost a bit more but they save you from that rubbery bean situation which is way worse than spending an extra 4 bucks" but isn't that exactly the point? People budget tight and $4 extra per meal adds up fast when you cook from scratch every week. I get that texture matters, but honestly, how often do you find rock hard beans in a can anyway? Seems like most canned brands now are pretty consistent if you get the store brand. Did you actually compare prices recently or is that just what you remember from a few years back? Because around here the difference is maybe a buck and a half, not four.

adam_baker7h ago

Did you rinse them first though?

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